Project S (IX)

I last left off on the release of the third batch of cats on 15 Feb. On the same day, we trapped another three cats and had them sterilised (2 were spayed and 1 neutered). They were released back at Site X on Wed, 18 Feb. I forgot to bring my camera and so I wouldn't have their photos on record. One is a brown tabby (pregnant); one is a white/grey cat (pregnant, same colour combination as Azrael/Gargamel) and Cat no. 5 (the sweet white/orange boy - we've named him Ginger Boy). And on the same night of 18 Feb, we trapped one female who was spayed and released yesterday, 21st Feb.

With this, I'd say I've completed Phase 1 of Project S - having successfully sent cats who conceivably could be rounded up/trapped for sterilisation. Altogether, 17 cats (11 females and 6 males) had been sterilised over the five rounds. I'm thankful that Grimlock is supportive of my doing (and for his practical help). We wish to keep a low profile in our undertaking of Project S - onsite and non-disclosure of the site's exact location here. The recent and constant cases of cat abuses serve us caution. I earnestly hope that the dumping at Site X will stop and for the numbers to stablise. So far, I've stopped seeing kittens at Site X so I take this as a good sign.

We'll stop, for now, the rounding up/trapping of cats for sterilisation and re-assess the situation. My wallet gets to take a break too :)

The next phase will be a challenging one because we're talking about difficult targets, ie these are cats who:
1) Hang out at Site X at a timing different from my rounds;
2) Are very scaredy/cautious in nature, including that one or two who got away or got spooked from seeing us in action; or
3) Make phantom appearances at Site X.

The updated tally of unsterilised cats looks something like this:
1) The Siamese (we haven't seen him since the last sighting);
2) White cat with brown patches on her back (scaredy one);
3) Scrawny kid (who was last seen hanging out together with the white cat);
4) And possibly another 2-3 brown tabbies.

We'll try to befriend the cautious ones and continue to monitor the situation. We bumped into a cat welfare volunteer, F during our round on 18 Feb. I gave her my contact number. Looks like we're not alone afterall in keeping an eye out for the cats at Site X.

Project S (VIII)

After the second round of trapping on 1st Jan 2009, we continued to visit Site X once a week to check on the cats.

On 18 Jan, we spotted this newbie, a lovely Siamese. Dumped 'conveniently' here by someone who got tired of a 'toy'? UUURRRGGGHHHH.... He/she is in good physical condition so I think he/she should be left here only recently. Thank God he/she is already sterilised (tipped ear) - otherwise, headache leh (I'd have to add him/her to my list). Quite a cautious and vocal fella. It took some coaxing and we even had a mini dialogue session :) (some kind of negotiation) before he/she finally ate away. After having his/her fill, he/she did circles of 8 around Grimlock's leg - very manja.

The kids have grown in size. I know they don't look like kittens in the photo. They were part of the reason why we embarked on Project S. They used to loiter somewhere in Site X, hoping to get food crumbs. The sighting also brought our attention to the growing number of cats, especially when most if not all, are unsterilised. The problem started and grew because of some IRRESPONSIBLE people who DID NOT sterilise their cats and then for whatever reason, did the worst thing by dumping them at this isolated place.

The kids were really scrawny back then. The ones in the photo have not been fixed yet, and they are the ones I'm targeting in the next round of trapping. Should be OK to sterilise them with their current size.

(27 Jan 2009)

We were glad to see three of the cats who were sterilised earlier, well and good. They were hanging out together and having some play session. We've named the girl white/grey cat in the photo as Azrael and her other white/grey companion as Gargamel (a boy, not seen here in the photo). We've seen this pair hanging out together on a few occasions. And we've named the brown one (in the photo, with the dark tail) as Wierd Eye - her eyes are slightly protruding. She can see normally (I did a small random test on her). She is quite cautious.

(5 Feb 2009)

I scheduled a third round of trapping on Thurs, 12 Feb, and again engaged V's help. This time round, we carried out the trapping at night because we observed that some of them surface only later in the day. It had rained earlier so at one point, I was toying with rescheduling the session. I reached Site X earlier and did a recee and saw four unsterilised cats hanging around. The rain stopped but while waiting for V, it started to drizzle and I started to waver again. I had one unsterilised cat with me (one of the kids) and I was doing all I could to keep her with me (kept shaking my kibbles bottle).

There was this other kid (already sterilised) with us and I had a jolly good time stroking her. A very sweet girl who kept doing her flips and flops on the floor and circling around me. Then she reminded me of My Little One. They are similar in colour and size but I think this kid's temperament is better lah (sshhhhh, don't tell the tigress that I made such a comparison).

(So would you please now put together this mental picture: the crazy Mousie with two young cats by her side; all three under a light drizzle, winds blowing quite strongly... Mousie is busy entertaining the attention-seeking one while keeping an eye on the other one... Hahahaha...)

Ok, ok, back to the story...

V was actually down with a fever but he still proceeded with the trapping (he came together with R). (V: If you're reading this, let me say this again: 先照顾好你自己...) Grimlock couldn't make it so he has generously agreed to sponsor the cost of this round :) hee hee.

We trapped a total of five cats, one of them was the tom cat so you can imagine my delight. I suspect he sired most of the brown ones. And he only appears now and then so the timing couldn't be any better. He is now less cautious of us - he used to scrowl and hiss at us even at a distance, and then it got to a stage where he is a little less unfriendly (but still maintains his distance). On that day, he came up to me and greeted me his usual way (scrowling lor!). I could hardly disguise my excitement. I put down some kibbles for him (so that he would come nearer to me). V slowly approached him, gave him a little tuna and nabbed him by the scuff of his neck. This boy put up a big fight and he almost got away but V refused to let go. I held my breath while taking in the action. (I told you this is definitely hard work.)

All this while, a white cat with brown patches on her back, was watching us in a nearby bush. I tried to lure her by shaking my kibbles bottle but she would't emerge from her hiding (she responded though by meowing at me - telling me she would, no way, fall for the trick?) We laid down the trap and after waiting for like 30-45minutes, we aborted mission.

We also met an Indian lady who offered to help with the trapping. She has some 30 cats of her own. I was too engrossed observing the white cat that I didn't exchange courtesies with her, oops.

When we were getting ready to leave, lo and behold, an unsterilised cat emerged from under V's van. She looked like an easy target. R laid down the trap and the cat went for it. In the midst of transferring her from the trap to the carrier, she got away.

The four who have been trapped this time round are all brown ones. I've arranged for them to be released back at Site X this evening. Fingers crossed for dry weather in the week ahead, and for their speedy recovery. Let's see if we come across any targets later...

Update - 15 Feb, 11.30pm - The four who were released this evening:

Three are females (one was pregnant) and one tom cat (lower right-hand corner).

Another three were trapped (round no. 4) -one white/orange cat, one white/grey cat and one brown cat. The white/orange boy was very sweet, he didn't put up any fight and it seemed he didn't have any clue what had happened. He only takes wet food. The white/grey one wouldn't have been easy to nab because she makes random appearances at Site X and likes to hang out at a spot that makes trapping difficult and she is very cautious. This time round, she was searching for food near a rubbish bin. V laid a trap to get her and we waited for a while before she went for it. R trapped the brown one on her own - no idea how she did it. According to her, it was very friendly.

We saw the white cat with brown patches again. She ended hiding up in a tree. It looks like she'll make a difficult target. There was a brown cat with her who is quite scrawny. We decided to wait till she grows bigger.

The World Out There

In the mornings when I open the door to put out the litter bag and bring in the newspapers, I'll give Skoda and Braun a couple of minutes to stretch their necks out of the gate. They know the drill at the back of their paws (I mean hands). They'll stand by the door and wait for me to come along. And they both know they are not to venture beyond the gate. They are just happy to peer out, and will bout back into the house at any slightest noise or movement down the corridor.

It is a very simple ritual. I've no idea what they derive out of it but yet, they keep at it...

Beauty & Brains

The Cove's Honorary Member, Miu Miu (aka Zapedii) has joined the league of feline blogging babes. We can now keep a tab on what she has been up. Looking at the photos, Miu Miu is worthy of her royal title and living it up with all the pampering that she is getting. Check out her blog here.

(6 Sept 2008)

CATivated! (II)

The painting on the blog masthead is our latest home improvement acquisition :) from catmaSutra 5. Quite a few of the paintings were already sold when we visited the exhibition on the last day, 28 Dec 08, including this one which we like:

Of the two artists, Paul Koh and Michelle Chang, the latter's works appeal to us more for reasons that are hard to articulate. In the end, we picked this work by Michelle:

Michelle Chang
A Blue Cat's Tale
2008
Acrylic on canvas
45cm x 61cm

Max is the cat's name. Doesn't his pose in the painting look familiar?

Michelle also published her paintings around Max in a book titled A Blue Cat's Tale. The story is about Max having just moved to a new home and him trying to make friends but all the other cats are afraid of him because he's blue. Then one day, a ginger tabby, Lexi moves into the neighbourhood and before long, Max and Lexi become firm friends.

We now have two paintings from the story hanging side-by-side:

The other painting was bought in Dec 2007, titled Best Friends Forever (2006). We'll be looking forward to Michelle's new works :) after her hiatus.